Warm up with a mug of spiced Mexican Hot Chocolate-infused with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and vanilla. A cozy 15-minute treat, vegan-adaptable!
It’s getting dark earlier and earlier, and it’s starting to feel cozy around here! As the air turns crisp, there's nothing quite like wrapping your hands around a warm mug of Mexican hot chocolate. Infused with warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, and made with antioxidant-rich cacao, this cozy chocolate drink feels indulgent yet deeply grounding.
Cacao's gentle magic lifts the mood and soothes the heart - a simple, wholesome pleasure to savor this fall, as the season slows and softens around us.
Why You’ll Love This
I first fell in love with Mexican Hot Chocolate while traveling through Mexico. In a nutshell, it is dreamy… but really rich! This version is lighter than the authentic porridge-like Mexican hot chocolate. It’s a lot easier to whip up with ingredeints you already have. Simple ingredients, authentic flavor -made with cacao powder, spices and your choice of milk, this cozy drink comes together in just a few minutes!
Sweetened gently with honey or maple syrup, it's the perfect way to nourish body and soul on a chilly autumn eve.
What I love about this recipe is how adaptable it is! Make it vegan if you like with plant-based milk, and use whole spices or ground spices. Either way, it’s a delicious treat in about 10 minutes.
What is Mexican Hot Chocolate?
Mexican Hot Chocolate is a traditional spiced drink made from cacao, milk, and aromatic spices like cinnamon and sometimes a touch of chili or cayenne. Unlike American-style hot chocolate, which is typically very sweet and smooth, Mexican hot chocolate is more rustic, featuring bittersweet and minimally processed chocolate that often contains ground cacao, sugar, and hints of vanilla or almonds.
The hot cocoa is traditionally whisked with a wooden tool called a “molinillo” to create a frothy top. The warm beverage is commonly enjoyed with sweet breads like pan dulce or churros for dipping.
Ingredients
- Cacao powder: Use unsweetened cacao powder. The honey (or maple) in this recipe will sweeten the hot chocolate, which is easier to adjust based on your preference, versus buying pre-sweetened cacao or Mexican chocolate bars.
- Milk: Use regular milk or a plant-based alternative (like oat or almond milk).
- Spices: Cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and whole cloves. If needed, substitute with ground spices, though whole spices provide the best flavor.
- Dried red chilies: Or use a pinch of cayenne. This subtle heat is a signature of Mexican hot chocolate.
- Honey: Adjust based on your sweetness preference. You can substitute with agave or maple syrup.
- Vanilla (optional): Add a hint of vanilla with vanilla paste or vanilla extract.
- Salt: A pinch of salt deeply enhances the rich flavor of the chocolate.
- Optional Mexican clay mugs 🙂
Variations
- Make it vegan. Making dairy-free Mexican hot chocolate is easy! Use your favorite plant-based milk, and use agave or maple syrup to sweeten.
- For a richer version: Add 2-3 squares of bittersweet chocolate to the milk.
- Try other spices! Fresh nutmeg, star anise, allspice, and ground ginger are all tasty additions!
Mexican Hot Chocolate Toppings
- Cinnamon stick
- Whipped Cream
- Shaved bittersweet chocolate
- Sprinkle of sea salt
- Pinch of cayenne or chili powder
- Dried chili pepper
- Marshmallows
How to Make Mexican Hot Chocolate
1. Prep the vanilla (optional). Fresh vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract can be added for a hint of vanilla flavor. If using a vanilla bean, start by splitting it in half lengthwise and scraping out 1/4 teaspoon using the tip of a knife.
2. Warm the milk. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and warm over medium heat.
3. Whisk in cacao, spices, chilies, and salt. Once the milk is warm, whisk in the cacao powder. Then add the spices, dried red chilies, and a pinch of salt, stir, and bring to a near simmer.
Tip: To prepare this more authentically, use a molinillo instead of a whisk! This wooden spoon is great for developing foam on top of the mug.
4. Sweeten. Stir in the honey. Taste and adjust the spices and sweetener to your desired preference.
5. Strain. Pour the hot chocolate mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the whole spices and create a silky smooth texture and creaminess.
6. Garnish. Serve the Mexican hot chocolate in clay mugs with a cinnamon stick for garnish! Or add whipped cream or marshmellos.
Chef’s Tips
- Don’t let the milk boil. Keep the heat gentle to preserve the milk’s natural sweetness and prevent scorching, which can dull the flavor.
- Use whole spices. Cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and cardamom pods infuse the chocolate with a deeper, more rounded flavor than pre-ground versions.
- Strain for silkiness. After simmering, pour through a fine-mesh sieve to remove spices and achieve a smooth, velvety texture.
- Try a molinillo. For a traditional touch, froth the hot chocolate using a wooden molinillo instead of a whisk. It aerates the drink beautifully and gives that signature foamy top.
- Reuse the cinnamon stick. Rinse and dry it, then use it again as a garnish or in your next batch (or use it in a soup or curry!)-it still has plenty of flavor to give!
Serving Suggestions
Mexican hot chocolate is a warm beverage that can be enjoyed all on its own. However, it is commonly served alongside assorted sweet breads. Here are some fun ideas for pairing!
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (made with cinnamon and cayenne!)
- Shortbread Cookies
- Triple Ginger Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons
- Homemade Ice Cream or Dairy-Free Ice Cream (for hot and cold contrast!)
Storage
Store leftovers in a jar or other sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop until warm.
FAQs
Traditional Mexican hot chocolate is made with corn masa, Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, and piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar). The corn masa creates a distinctly thick consistency. It is also common to incorporate dried red chilies or cayenne. The flavor is more rustic and less sweet, with a hint of spice. Mexican hot chocolate can also be found in round tablets (made of chocolate, sugar, and cinnamon) that are ready to mix with hot milk.
Mexican hot chocolate is called “champurrado.” This thick hot chocolate has a porridge-like consistency from the masa harina (corn flour). Our version is lighter, made simply with milk, and made with less sugar. In Mexico, when someone asks for hot chocolate, you’ll typically hear it described as Chocolate Abuelita or Ibarra, which refer to specific brands. These refer to the hot chocolates made from a round dark chocolate tablet of cacao, sugar, and cinnamon.
Because of its thick consistency, Mexican hot chocolate is commonly served with sweets like pan dulce, churros, or other assorted sweet breads that can be dipped into the drink.
Less sweet than traditional hot chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate has a warm, rich flavor with a hint of cinnamon and a subtle spicy kick. The sweetness and spiciness can be adjusted based on your flavor preferences.
The perfect drink for the colder months! Enjoy!
More Recipes You Might Like
After you try this Mexican Hot Chocolate recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia
Mexican Hot Chocolate
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 1x
- Category: Drinks, Halloween, holidays, fall drinks, Mexican recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk ( or sub plant-based milk)
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder
- 2 cinnamon sticks (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 5 cardamon pods, crushed, (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom)
- 5 whole cloves (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves)
- 1–2 dried red chilies ( or pinch cayenne)
- 3 tablespoons honey, more to taste ( or agave, maple syrup)
- optional: vanilla- 1/4 teaspoon paste, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Prep Vanilla. If using a vanilla bean, split it in half lengthwise and scrape out ¼ teaspoon using the tip of a knife.
- Heat milk. Heat milk in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Whisk. Once warm, whisk in the cacao powder, then all the spices, pinch salt, and bring it to almost a simmer.
- Sweeten. Stir in the honey or maple, taste, and adjust spices and sweetener to taste.
- Strain using a fine mesh sieve.
- Serve. Pour into mugs and garnish with cinnamon sticks (I reuse them!)
Notes
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in a tight container in the refrigerator, and can be reheated.
Variations: For a richer version, add a 2-3 squares of bittersweet chocolate to the milk. Play with other spices: fresh nutmeg, star anise, allspice, and ground ginger are all delicious here!
Mugs: traditionally served in clay mugs
*I love this organic cacao powder
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 111
- Sugar: 13.9 g
- Sodium: 177.5 mg
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.5 g
- Fiber: 2.7 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
